Dreams of Blue
by Trinkisme
Summary: "She dreams in shades of blue….. She dreams of things she can't remember." Draco and Hermione both find each other in this blue world. Why are they there? Why can't they leave? Did their world change after Voldemort died? Or are they the ones who changed? The ones who died? Dramione.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hermione blinked her eyes, suddenly confused. A feeling of disorientation assailed her. One moment she was battling for her life. All around her was the heat and dust and stench of battle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Harry dueling Voldemort. She heard the Dark Lord taunt her best friend. Harry answered back; although she wasn't sure, it sounded like he said something about Draco Malfoy.

 _Malfoy?_ She wondered.

Why on earth would Harry mention him? She couldn't hear Voldemort's response, but he looked murderous. Then a brilliant light flashed, illuminating the carnage on the ground. For a moment, all Hermione could see were spots. Black spots, growing in size and number until they covered her field of vision. It was like someone had redacted the world. Some time later (Hermione never could figure out how long it took), light began to grow along the edges of the nothingness. Her sight slowly returned. But what she was seeing now….

Hermione sucked in a breath. Surrounding her was a blue fog. It hovered in the air, the cold wisps undulating lazily. She exhaled; her breath didn't make a cloud of water vapor in the chill. The air was heavy with frost…..yet she, in her thin jumper, felt no discomfort.

Odd, that.

Another realization hit her….it was too quiet. Eerily so. Where was the noise? The cries, the moans of agony, the sharp clang of hexes meeting in the air were gone.

She began to feel a creeping dread.

Had she been hurt? Was she dreaming?

She didn't know.

Hermione began to move in the direction where she'd last seen her best friend. She was astonished to find no broken stones, splintered beams of wood or charred grass in her path. Or bodies either, thankfully.

 _Am I still at Hogwarts?_

Hermione wasn't used to not knowing the answer to things. It disturbed her. She continued to look around, trying to gather information on what happened and where she was. After some minutes, or maybe hours, or maybe no time at all, she sat down on the damp ground. She couldn't find enough clues to give her any hint of her whereabouts. An unwelcome thought began to relentlessly pound against the walls of her sanity.

 _I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead._

She didn't know how long she would have sat there if it hadn't been for the shout that rang like a bell in the air. She wanted to sob in relief. It was a human voice.

"Can anyone hear me?"

Hermione scrambled to her feet in answer to that strangely familiar tone. Not wanting it to vanish, she cried back, "I'm here! I'm coming!"

She took off racing in the direction of the voice. A few moments later, she heard footsteps other than her own. The sound was getting louder. She turned the corner of a building that looked exactly like and nothing like the herbology greenhouse at Hogwarts. As soon as she did, she nearly plowed into a body. A moving, living body. A male one, wearing all black. She looked up to see the face of Draco Malfoy staring down at her in astonishment.

"Granger? What in the devil are you doing here?"

If she didn't know better, she would have thought him angry. But after all these years, she knew him.

He was just as frightened as she.

"What did your precious Order do?" he bellowed.

"The Order?" her voice rose with incredulity. "If anyone did something, it was your Master."

Draco glowered. "Don't call that psychopath my master."

Hermione snorted. "You arm would say otherwise."

That made Draco see red. "Shut. Up. You know nothing. You have no idea why I did the things I did!"

Hermione paused, tempted to yell back at the wizard, but something in her hesitated. Whether she liked it or not, Malfoy was the only person she'd found thus far in this alien blue landscape. She didn't want to take a chance of provoking him. He might leave her then, and although Hermione was a clever witch and could take care of herself, she couldn't bear the thought of being left alone in this strange place.

Before she could change her mind, she blurted out, "I'm sorry."

Draco looked startled for a moment; then the smirk she knew so well bloomed across his face. "The great Hermione Granger is admitting she was wrong about something? I must be dreaming."

"Oh, shush. You're just as relieved as I am not be alone."

Draco arched his brow. "Been scared, eh? Not very Gryffindor of you."

Hermione ignored that. They had bigger fish to fry if they were going to get out of….wherever they were.

"What's the last thing you remember before you found yourself here?" she asked.

Draco scratched at the short hair above his ear. "I'd just watched Molly Weasley kill Bellatrix." Noticing Hermione's features freeze at the mention of his insane aunt, he hastily added, "I….I was wishing...hoping….she'd gotten some of her own back." An embarrassed look passed over his features at that admission. "I just…..I thought she deserved to feel pain after all she'd done…..particularly to you, Granger."

Hermione swallowed heavily. "Why me especially?"

Draco cleared his throat but said nothing. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "Because I knew you, I guess. It...it made it more real."

Hermione made no comment, but in her mind an inconceivable thought was forming.

Before he found himself here, he'd been thinking of her.

"What about you? What's the last thing you remember?"

Hermione paused. She dreaded answering; she didn't want to say it aloud; it would make her hunch all the more real. "I remember Harry and Voldemort confronting the other. I….I heard Harry say your name. He told Voldemort something. I was wondering what it was."

"He was talking about me? To the Dark….er...to You-Know-Who?"

Hermione nodded.

Draco stood there, thinking. "Why?"

"That's what I wanted to know. I was thinking through everything I knew about you to try to puzzle it out. Then I saw a flash of light. Next thing I knew, I was here."

Hermione bit her lip. She knew Draco was smart. He would soon connect the dots. She saw it when it happened; his face drained of the little color it had.

"We were…..thinking of each other?"

She reluctantly nodded. "It would appear so."

"Are you trying to make me believe our thoughts produced…...this?"

"I'm not trying to make you believe anything. But doesn't it strike you as odd that we're the only two people here?"

Draco's face became stony. "You don't know that."

"Well, go on then," Hermione said as she motioned with her hand. "Call out like you did before and see if anyone else answers."

Draco gave her a glare before he raised his voice. "Hello! Is anyone out there?"

Nothing.

"Oi! Somebody say something!"

The silence following his cries was deafening.

He ripped his hand through his hair. "Great…..just freaking GREAT!"

Hermione watched as he turned, snarling, to kick the side of the building. Shaking her head, she sighed. "What do you think that's going to accomplish? I don't need you going off in a fit of rage. We have to think logically if we want to get out of here."

Draco twirled around, a wild look in his eye. "Out of here? We don't even know where here is! How are we going to get out? I don't know! Do you? Well? DO YOU? NO, YOU DON'T!"

Hermione's jaw dropped. She had never before seen him so unhinged.

He continued to rant. "This is a bloody nightmare! I'm stuck in some alternate reality with you. I'm being punished!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Draco stilled. His eyes lost their wildness; they became vacant and staring. He stood for moment, a perfect frozen statue. The only thing moving on him was the pulse point on the side of his neck. It was beating wildly. Hermione absently thought he needed to get his blood pressure checked the next time he saw a healer.

When he finally turned his head, she could see the beginnings of horror lining his features. In a soft voice, he said, "That's it…..isn't it?"

Hermione, not understanding the question, frowned. "Sorry?"

"I'm in that place muggles talk about. This is hell, isn't it?"

 _Is he serious?_ she wondered.

"I must have died. And gone to…..that place. That's why you're here…...as a constant reminder...so I'll never forget what I was."

Hermione stared at him blankly for a second. Then she averted her eyes so he wouldn't see them twinkling. She wanted to laugh but controlled herself. Just barely. "So, am I being punished, too?"

Draco reddened when he noticed her futile attempts to smother a grin. Grumbling, he mumbled, "Forget I said anything."

"Rather hard to forget that, Malfoy."

Draco narrowed his eyes at the merriment plainly showing on Hermione's face.

"I panicked, okay? Let it go, Granger."

"I just find it ironic that you would think you would end up in a muggle place of punishment."

Draco cheeks flushed an even deeper pink. "I said let it go….okay? Please, Granger."

It was his please that wiped the laughter off Hermione's face. Eyeing him contemplatively, she held out her hand. "Alright. Let's make a pact. No more unnecessary teasing of the other."

"Is there a necessary kind I don't know about?" he countered.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but kept her hand outstretched. "Shall we shake on it?"

Draco stared down at her palm. Hermione studied him. What was he thinking? He lifted one of his hands above hers. Hermione sucked in a breath. He looked like he was debating whether to take her hand with his own. But the moment passed. He lowered his arm. Giving her a half-hearted imitation of one of his former sneers, he grunted, "A wizard's word should be good enough for a mud….muggle-born."

Hermione wasn't fooled by his near slip. Despite the slur that almost escaped his lips, she knew she'd seen a crack in his wall. First at the Manor. And now here. Draco Malfoy wasn't all he pretended to be. She took a chance. "Maybe I don't know what's good for me. Maybe you don't either."

He eyed her warily. "What are you saying?"

"Just…..we're by ourselves. There's no reason for us to fight. All we have right now is each other."

"I would get stuck with you," he muttered.

"Would you rather I be Ron?"

"I would rather this hadn't happened at all."

"So would I, but feeling sorry for ourselves isn't going to help us. What we need is a strategy to get out of here."

Draco snorted. "Brilliant deduction, Granger. Ten points to Gryffindor for stating the obvious."

"Could you be a little nicer?"

"I don't know," he drawled. "Could you be less of a swot?"

Hermione had a few weaknesses; having one of her strengths being twisted into an object of ridicule was one of them. She couldn't stop her reaction; she angrily crossed her arms while giving her foot a stomp, much like the way she'd done when they'd been first years. Draco chuckled. It was the happiest he'd been in quite some time. He forgotten how much fun it was to wind up the witch.

As she watched her former bully laugh at her reaction, the wrath that had risen in her heart fell to the wayside. Suddenly, she felt tired. Anger took too much energy to maintain. She'd not risked life and limb to find herself back where she'd been before all this started.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione reminded herself she was no longer a child. She was a battle-hardened witch now, and it should take more than a few jibes to get her blood boiling. Giving Draco a look of sad disappointment, she began to make her way toward where the Forbidden Forest would have been had they been back in their reality.

Her contrary companion didn't like that. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But anywhere is better than just standing here doing nothing."

He quickly caught up with her. "This is utter madness. How you Gryffindors stay alive is a mystery. Striking out, having no…"

"Strategy? Is that what you were going to say?" asked Hermione sweetly, although her eyes showed a steely mettle. "I was under the assumption you didn't want to talk about that. So, fine. I made up my own plan."

"May I ask what it is?"

Hermione was surprised at the lack of venom in Draco's question. Maybe he realized he was tired, too. Too tired to continue the childish patterns they'd set for themselves so long ago.

"Well, like I said earlier, it looks like we're the only two humans here," she began. Draco caught himself before he started tapping his foot with impatience but couldn't quite contain the eye roll. "However, other sentient creatures may exist in this place. Creatures who could answer our questions."

"Oh, really. What kind of creature would do that?"

She looked at him, exasperated. "Well, like centaurs or, I don't know…."

"Vampires? Werewolves? Hate to break it to you, Sweetheart, but all they would do is kill us if given a chance. They hate our kind. Sorry, but your plan sucks, Granger."

"Can you think of a better one?"

Draco huffed, but shook his head. "No."

There was no more discussion after that. For a few minutes the only other sounds were their feet scuffling along a gloomy forest path. It was the soft quiet of growing despair. A few times Hermione had to catch herself from grabbing Draco's hand like she would have Harry's or Ron's. When his shoulder accidentally rubbed against hers, it was all Draco could do not to sling his arm around her petite form. The two teenagers were not friends; but here, in this place, they were not enemies, either. As Hermione had so succinctly pointed out, they were all the other had. After walking for what felt like hours in the silent woods, the sound of a horse's neigh shattered the gloom. Hermione jumped in fright while Draco swore. Soon after came other noises; Draco could have sworn he heard the pattering of tiny feet beside them. Hermione thought she heard the rustling of tree limbs. Before long, they came to a clearing. What they saw made them gasp. In front of them stood a huge arch of sorts, made of stone that looked like it had been taken from the oldest pyramids of Egypt. Runes too ancient for Hermione to decipher ran down its sides. Wild violets and petunias nestled around the base of the arch. But it was what was in its middle that caught their attention. Waves of what looked like the clearest water were on their side. Through the water they could just make out a distorted picture of Hogwarts in battle.

Looking just as it did when they had been taken from it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 _If thoughts equal energy and energy equals matter, then thoughts become matter. But if matter dies, yet thoughts do not, is energy now spirit?_

* * *

000

"Bollocks," breathed Draco as he stared at the arch. "This can't be real."

Hermione left him to make her way around to the back of the arch, making sure not to touch it as she did so. She was surprised to see through it to the forest, with Draco standing just as she'd left him.

"Well?" his voice carried over. "What can you see from that side?"

"Uh….nothing. Just you."

"Calling me nothing, Granger?"

Hermione walked back. "I'm saying it's like the arch is empty from that side. I saw through the space to you."

"Let me see. You must have…..missed…" Draco's words trailed off after he'd rounded the pillar to take a glimpse through the opening. Sure enough, he saw Hermione standing where he'd been.

"That doesn't make sense," he mumbled to himself. Picking up a stone, he hurled it toward the empty space of the opening.

"Don't!" warned Hermione.

As soon as the rock entered the arch, it was gone.

Hermione glared at the blonde. "Idiot! Do you know what could have happened to you?"

Draco waved his hand dismissively at Hermione's dramatics. "Get that knot out of your wand, Granger. Nothing happened."

"That's not the point. You took an unnecessary risk. We don't know what this is," she pointed to the ancient gateway, "or the source of its power. It could have interpreted your action as an attack. It could have struck out….and…...and zapped you! You could have been killed!"

Draco saw the wild look in Hermione's eyes. He realized she was on the verge of having a panic attack. Well, he could relate to that. He'd had plenty of those himself. Still, he couldn't deny the smirk that crept across his face. " _Zapped_ me?"

She gritted her teeth. " You're insufferable."

"No, I'm being practical, unlike the screaming banshee you're apparently trying to be. I wanted to test it out to see what would happen if something entered the portal. And now we know."

"Yes, now we know we'll be disintegrated," Hermione responded.

"No….now we know we'll be _transported_." Giving Hermione a withering look, Draco said, "For being a muggle, you don't seem to know much about science fiction. The rock wasn't _zapped_ ; it disappeared. Ergo, it was carried somewhere. Don't you get it? This has got to be some sort of teleport."

For a second, Hermione was taken aback. "How do you know about _those_?"

"What, thought I couldn't read?" he asked at her expression of incredulity. "Unlike your Neanderthal friends, I do like to learn. My interests are diverse."

Her brows rose in disbelief. "You're interested in _muggle_ things?"

Annoyed, Draco clenched his jaw. "You're like a dog with a bone, do you know that? Focus, Granger." He pointed to the arch. "This has to be a portal. It's showing us Hogwarts."

"But it's showing it as it _was_ ; not as it is now. If it really was our Hogwarts, wouldn't it be flowing in the same linear time with everything else in our dimension?"

"Yeah….well, I can't explain that. But this has got to be the way to get back."

Hermione gazed at him sadly. "Get back from _where_ , Draco? Do we know where we are? Is this place in our known universe? Or are we in another dimension…..another reality?"

Draco frowned. "How should I know? Does it matter?"

She nodded. "I think it does. If we enter this portal, if that's what this is, we may be transported to Hogwarts. But will it be our Hogwarts?" She pointed to the scene in the portal. "We can see a battle's taking place….but is it ours? It could be a worse one."

Draco stared her down. "Don't know about you….but from what I remember, things weren't so peachy in our reality, either. For all we know, what we're seeing could be better."

" _Could_ being the operative word. But that's the point I'm trying to make. We. Don't. Know."

For a minute, Draco said nothing. Then he began to sneer. "I thought you Gryffindors were supposed to be brave and all that rot. Rushing in where angels fear to tread."

"It's, _Fools rush in where angels fear to tread_."

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Like I said."

Hermione wanted to throw something at him. "You would test the patience of a saint, Draco Malfoy."

He grinned. "My, my. Don't we have an awfully high opinion of ourselves."

She couldn't help but laugh at the smug look on his face. At that moment, Draco looked like a very pleased five year old. "Did I ever tell you the sorting hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw? Maybe that's why I'm not Gryffindor enough for you."

"When would you have ever told me that? We've always been enemies."

Hermione gave him a sad smile. "Even now?"

Draco's expression suddenly shifted into a cold one. "Especially now."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't care, _mudblood_."

Hermione laughed. "Now I know I'm right. You're trying too hard."

Draco's ears reddened.

"Besides, if you really felt that way, you would have never dared to lower yourself to read muggle sci-fi." Hermione smiled at the blush that now covered Draco's face, while ignoring the glaring looks of warning he was giving her. "Face it, Draco. You're a fraud."

"Shut up," he growled. "You're a real pain in the arse, you know that?"

"Takes one to know one."

Draco huffed. He started walking toward the portal. It looked to Hermione that he had every intention of entering it.

"Draco! No!" Reaching for his arm, she tried to pull him back, but he was too strong. He jerked away from her as he stepped into the arch.

Hermione let out a cry of anguish. She was being abandoned. Again. Only this time, she didn't have Harry. A sob of despair left her throat, but was short-lived.

Draco hadn't disappeared.

Nothing had happened when he entered the arch. He was still with her.

Cursing, he turned around and looked accusingly at Hermione. "What did you do?"

She hastily wiped at her eyes. "I….I can't believe you would be so selfish….you were going to leave me here by myself!"

"How did you stop this? ANSWER me!"

She finally looked at him, a hurt expression answering his livid one. "I didn't do anything."

Draco wasn't having that. "Yes, you did. I don't know what, but you stopped it from working. I swear, once we get out of here, I'll pay you back, you conniving, little…'

"If you know what's good for you, you won't finish that statement."

Draco just then noticed she had raised her wand and had it trained on him.

Draco snorted. "Do you think I'm scared of you? Think again, Granger. Just a minute ago you were bawling over the thought of me leaving. You wouldn't hurt me."

"You're right," she agreed. " I wouldn't hurt you. But I have no qualms about _influencing_ you."

Draco swallowed. "You wouldn't." The imperio was an Unforgivable. Granger was too much of a goody-goody to commit a crime…..wasn't she?

"Try that stunt one more time and see," she challenged. "I'm not kidding. I've been left behind before; I told myself then I would never let it happen to me again."

Draco intuitively knew her statement had something to do with the nitwits she called friends, but for once, didn't press the issue.

Lowering himself to the ground, he muttered, "Horrible witch. I loathe you."

Hermione knew that was a lie. If Draco really hated her, he wouldn't have wanted Bellatrix to suffer for her sake. He wouldn't have thought he deserved hell for how he'd treated her. But she was too emotionally exhausted to push him on it. Instead,she sat down as close as she dared to him and said, "Welcome to the club. Sometimes, I do, too." She paused. "Don't…..don't you?"

Draco frowned at her question. "Don't I what?"

"Ever loathe yourself?"

He looked down at the grass. A minute passed before he mumbled, "Everyday."

Both were quiet after that, hidden in their private thoughts. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"Draco?"

"What?"

"I'm tired of fighting."

He said nothing, but continued to pull bits of moss from the ground.

"Aren't you?"

Draco finally brushed off the dirt from his hands. Sighing, he said, "What do you want from me? A confession?" He looked into Hermione's beautiful doe eyes. He'd taunted her when they were third years about the color of them. Said her dark eyes indicated a lower life form. "Your eyes are like an animal's," he'd jeered, conveniently overlooking the many brown-eyed Slytherins of his house. "Just like a dog's…. _mudblood."_

Now as he stared at them, he saw soft flecks of honey in the brown. A confession _. Right._ As if that would make up for all the hate he'd spewed at her.

Draco continued to study Hermione's features. He'd never allowed himself to think it before, but the witch was quite pretty. Other things he hadn't allowed himself to think about were also crowding his mind. Like the real reason the portal hadn't worked for him. He shuddered. He felt like crying; but what would that change? He glanced again at the girl beside him.

 _Guess it won't matter what I do now._ He took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Surprise showed on Hermione's face for just a second. Then she nodded. "For what?"

"For everything, okay? For the whole, sorry mess of my life. For being a stupid kid…..a stupid fool," he finished in barely a whisper.

Hermione scooted closer to him. Taking one of his hands in hers, she said, "I forgive you."

Draco didn't acknowledge her words. But he didn't take his hand away, either.

A bit more time passed with them saying nothing. The blue fog continued to swirl about, making it seem like they were caught in a dreamscape. It was Draco who finally disturbed the uneasy quiet.

"Don't think I haven't thought it."

Hermione started; did he mean what she thought? She held her tongue. She wanted Draco to be the one to say the dreaded words.

"You and I…...we're….we're dead, aren't we?"

Hermione squeezed his hand. "It's quite possible."

He tightened his hold on her hand. "I didn't think it would be like this."

Neither did Hermione. She wasn't sure what she expected of death; she'd never given it much thought until the past year. But being stuck in a blue fog with Draco Malfoy wasn't it.

"Why do you think it's just us?" he asked. They both knew many had died during the battle. They'd seen the bodies.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "But maybe we're supposed to learn something before we…..move on."

"Move on where?"

Hermione looked at him sorrowfully. "I'm not sure."

Draco swallowed. "Maybe that's what the arch is…..a portal to take us…..somewhere else."

"Maybe," she conceded. "But right now, I don't think so."

"Then what do you think it is?"

She looked at the blonde beside her. "A window, maybe?"

"A window? Of the battle? Why would we be shown that? Didn't we see enough of that when we were there?"

Hermione lashed out in frustration. "I don't know! I don't know why all this has happened. Quit asking me questions!"

Draco looked at her as if she'd grown another head. For all she knew, maybe she had. "Look….I'm trying not to panic. But I don't know any more than you do. All I know for sure is that I feel lost….and exhausted….and hungry….."

Before she could get her last words out, a soft popping sound filled the air. Right at the entrance of the arch were now two bowls of something that looked like stew. Beside them on a board were two small loaves of bread. Near the bread was a flask of some kind of liquid.

"Merlin," Hermione moaned when the delicious smell of French Onion soup wafted over to where they sat.

Draco scrambled over to the arch. "Hey Granger…..look at this." He opened up a cloth bag that had materialized next to the food.

"What's in it?"

He pulled out a big, white…. _puffy_ thing. It took a moment before it registered to Hermione that she was seeing a pillow. _Two_ pillows, for Draco had just pulled out another.

"And it looks like some blankets are in there, too," he said as he peered into the bag.

"What is this place?" she wondered aloud.

Draco grinned at her. "I'll tell you what it is….we've stumbled into some kind of celestial room of requirement!"

Hermione's mouth dropped. Could that be true?

"What a bit of luck, eh? We can have anything we want...all we have to do is wish for it!" Draco brought her one of the bowls. "Ladies first."

It was the most polite thing he'd ever done for her. Hermione took the bowl. Looking up at Draco, she gave him a small smile. "Thank you." Then she tipped it up to her mouth.

 _Mmmm,_ she hummed as she savored the rich, beefy broth. Small bits of cheesy bread bobbed in the warm mixture. Using her fingers, she pulled out one and popped it in her mouth.

Draco was making short work of his bowl. Gone were the refined manners of his pureblood upbringing; he was guzzling down the soup like a common plebeian. Once he was done, he reached over for the bread and flask. He took a large bite out of his loaf; then uncorked the vial. He paused; he looked over to see Hermione watching him.

"There are no glasses," he said. He seemed to be struggling with something. Then he held out the flask to Hermione. "You want to go first?"

She knew what was in the gesture; what he was really saying.

 _You're not dirty. You're cleaner than me._

Hermione took the container and tentatively held it to her lips. Watching Draco as she did so, she swallowed some of the drink.

Not once did he grimace in disgust. But the bigger challenge was next. She offered the flask back to him.

Draco took it without hesitating. He knew he was being tested at that moment. Merlin knew he'd failed in every other thing he'd done in life. Now that he was dead, if that's what he was, he wanted to start anew. Not looking at Hermione, he took a big gulp. It burned going down, telling him it was an alcoholic beverage of some sort. Sweeter than firewhiskey, but stronger than butterbeer. It left a pleasant taste in his mouth and instantly made him feel better. Calmer.

It was like Providence wanted to give them a full belly before putting them to bed. Speaking of beds, Draco grabbed the bag and pulled out the blankets. There were only two.

"One for me and one for you, I guess," he said as he handed Hermione one.

She took it but did not immediately unfold it. "What are we going to put under us?"

Draco hadn't thought of that. There were bits of pine straw here and there, but not nearly enough to make a bed. It was hard to see in the dim, but it looked like lying on the dirt was their only option. He didn't relish the thought. He could tell Hermione didn't either.

"We...we could use one of the blankets to cover the ground." Draco didn't dare look at his companion.

"Or….we could ask for another blanket?"

Draco's face reddened.. Why hadn't he thought of that? "Yeah. Well, go ahead, then. It was your words that got us all this to begin with."

Hermione tried. She really did. But no matter how she phrased it, nothing else appeared. "This is a crappy Room of Requirement," she groused. "You want to try?"

Draco was amused by Hermione's words but not by the results they'd produced. So he tried. The results were no different.

"I suppose sharing the blankets is our only option," Hermione acquiesced.

There had never been two more awkward and uncomfortable bedfellows as Draco and Hermione as they made their bed.

 _At least we won't have to share a pillow_ , thought Hermione.

 _Do the dead even sleep?_ wondered Draco. Then he remembered their hunger. _If we can feel that, I guess we can get tired, too._

Giving each other a nod, they cautiously laid down, being careful not to touch each other. Draco closed his eyes, willing himself to forget the horror and destruction he'd seen that day….and the pretty witch lying less than a foot away from him. He felt Hermione move about, trying to find a comfortable position. Then he heard her sigh. Several more minutes passed. He began to feel sleepy and would have nodded off if it hadn't been for Hermione's soft exclamation of, "Oh!"

He turned, irritated that she'd kept him from escaping into slumber. "Honestly Granger…..does your brain ever shut off? What _now_?"

"It just occurred to me…..if this place is a kind of holding area for souls, I think I know why it's acting like the room of requirement, and more importantly, why we're here."

Draco leaned up on his elbow. "Tell me then."

Her eyes sparkled. It reminded him of the many times he'd seen her excited at performing a perfect charm or figuring out an ancient rune. "Can't you guess? The arch isn't a portal; it's a vanishing cabinet! You are being given a chance to right a wrong."

Draco sucked in a breath.

"That's why the scene of Hogwarts we're seeing in it isn't changing. I thought it wasn't in our time, but we're the ones outside time. Also, it explains why we're the only two here. They're waiting on us."

Draco frowned. "You lost me there."

Hermione gently laid her hand over his dark mark. Draco jumped.

Ignoring that, she said, "I know your deepest regret was letting death eaters _into_ Hogwarts. This time, it will be the other way around."

She waited until she saw understanding in his eyes.

"You're saying this time…...I will be helping souls out of it."

"Exactly."

They both looked over to the arch.

" _Harmonia Nectere Passus_ ," he whispered. Then Draco had a thought.

 _But where is its twin?_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The continual rustling of leaves on the forest ground finally woke Draco from his fitful slumber. He blearily opened his eyes.

 _Blast._

The same blue fog hung in the air. He'd hoped it would be gone by now, but no such luck. It made him feel disoriented. He never before realized how dependent he was on his senses to denote the passage of time. In this mist, he had no way of knowing how long he'd slept, or if it was day or night. Sighing, he turned and found himself facing a mass of hair; waiting apparently, until the right moment to suffocate him. Sometime while they'd slept, Hermione had shifted over until she was practically wedged underneath his body. He lifted his arm that had almost elbowed her in the face and put it above her head. In that position, his chin was mere inches from hers. He'd never been this close to the witch before. It gave him goosebumps. He recalled what she said the previous night. That perhaps he was being given a chance to right a wrong before they passed on. If that was true, Draco knew the one most deserving of reparation.

 _The person I mistreated the most was you….Hermione._

He allowed himself to think the name he never said aloud. All the taunts, the bullying….the standing by while she'd been crucioed and her arm butchered by his vile aunt. Doing nothing. Well…..almost nothing. Nothing compared to what her friends would have done. Draco closed his eyes, keeping the sudden shimmer in them from escaping.

 _Do you ever loathe yourself?_ she had so innocently asked. She had no idea.

Shame. He'd become well acquainted with that emotion. It had become his constant companion.

 _But maybe..._

Maybe he _was_ being given a chance to earn her pardon. Despite her already having said she'd forgiven him, Draco couldn't believe it. That was too easy, and if he'd learned anything in his life, it was the greater the thing, the greater the price one had to pay to get it. And what could be greater than being offered a clean slate?

He couldn't resist the temptation to touch her skin as he studied her features; her apple cheeks, thinner than when he'd seen them at school, felt like soft rose petals. There was a scratch running down her temple that was just beginning to heal. Her beautiful soft lips. A sudden, unfamiliar longing filled him. He dared not stare long at her mouth lest he forget himself and do something completely inappropriate and stupid. Instead, he smiled as he took in her outrageous hair. Bits of dried leaves and moss had become entangled in it. Very carefully, he tried to pull a few of the bigger pieces out and chuckled when her curls wrapped around his hand.

 _What a hot mess,_ he thought, shaking his head in fond amusement at the unmanageable mane. _Bet she could use it to catch small creatures._

Just as soon he had that thought, he heard muffled scratching. Then a squeaky little voice piped up.

"Help! I'm stuck!"

Draco saw that the something he'd heard was thrashing around in Hermione's hair. He quickly grabbed his mother's wand; with the tip of it, he prodded whatever it was that was caught.

Unfortunately, it was at that interesting moment when Hermione awoke. When she saw Draco leaning over, pointing his wand at her head, she screamed….which startled him so much his wand slipped from his grasp and hit whatever it was that had spoken to him.

"Clumsy oaf! You nearly put my eye out!" the shrill little voiced cheeped.

"Wha…..is that….is something in my _hair_?" Hermione squealed.

Draco was beginning to get a headache from the high-pitched volumes of the creature and the witch beside him. "Can the hysterics, Granger. I always knew that bush of yours was a death trap."

Using her fingers, Hermione quickly untangled the little being that had gotten wedged in between her curls. Once she was done, she couldn't help but chuckle at what she'd uncovered. She glanced over at Draco and saw a crooked smile on his face, too.

"Who are you?" she asked the creature.

" _What_ are you?" Draco added.

To Hermione, it resembled an old compass her father once used for a geometry class; to Draco, it looked something like a miniature wooden tong. It had tiny hooves for feet, twiggy arms that were ridiculously long, and on top of its small bulbous head, long sprigs of roots sprouted out in all directions.

"Its hair looks strangely familiar," he teased Hermione as he playfully pulled on one of her curls.

She elbowed Draco just as the small being began to chirp, "I am Widu. My name is Barq."

"What's a Widu?" That question came from Draco.

The little sprig looked up at the blonde wizard. "Those such as me."

"How informative," he mocked.

Hermione tried to elbow Draco again, but he dodged her this time.

"Where are we, Barq? What is this place called?" asked Hermione.

"Betwixt."

 _That's fitting_ , she thought. So….they were in a place that was between… _..but between what?_

Out loud, she murmured, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

Draco gave her a strange look. "What are you talking about? Are you feeling okay?"

"Nevermind. It was a reference to an old muggle movie."

Ignoring that, Draco pointed to the arch and asked the little creature staring up at them, "What can you tell us about this?"

Barq looked in the direction of his finger. "The door?"

"Yes, the door. Where does it lead?"

Barq raised his tiny brow. "Out?"

Draco sighed in frustration, but Hermione giggled. Thinking she might have better luck with the pixie-sized sprite, she inquired, "Tell us about your land. For starters, where exactly is Betwixt? Is it in our known universe?"

Barq gave her a puzzled look. "That word has no meaning to me. All I know is Betwixt. Isn't it beautiful?"

"How in the blazes can we tell? We can't see five feet in front of us," Draco grumbled. "I would go mad if I had to live in this constant cloud."

Barq defended his wood. "This haze is not ours. Betwixt is bright and glorious. _You_ are the ones who brought this upon us."

That caught Draco off guard. "Us? I mean, we?" he motioned between Hermione and himself. "You think _we_ did this?"

Barq nodded. "Of course. It arrived when you did. There is nothing hidden that is not revealed. Like answers to like."

"I hardly see how you can blame us for your weather," argued Hermione.

"Tis not what's outside but within that determines things." He leaned closer to the two teens. "The mind, younglings. The mind is what you have to watch."

Hermione scoffed inwardly. _What utter rot_ , she thought. Barq's words brought with them a feeling of déjà vu. A memory of Professor Trelawney's divination class came to her. She sniffed disdainfully, then froze.

She'd just gotten a whiff of the professor's favorite incense.

Meanwhile, Draco was strangely contemplative. "So…..you're suggesting…..our thoughts produced this fog."

Barq shook his head. "Your thoughts did not do this…...they _are_ this."

For a moment, quiet reigned as the two young warriors absorbed those words.

Finally, Hermione ventured to ask, "And the blue color?"

The sentient piece of wood looked at the two of them. "Yes….a pretty color for sky. Not so much when it's doubt."

"Doubt?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, doubt. The mist. It clouds the mind. Poisons all thought. The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts. Despair…..defeat…..death," he said in a whisper.

Draco sucked in a breath. _Death._ "So….. we _are_ dead."

The Widu cocked his head, making his wild locks bounce. "Are you? Is that what you _think_?"

"Please tell us," begged Hermione. "We're so confused."

Barq paused, then admitted to her, "You both smell the same." He hopped up onto Draco's arm. Crawling up to where his Dark Mark was, the little creature sniffed and said, "Yes…..death here." Then he hopped down and made his way to Hermione. Crawling up her arm where she had been branded by Bellatrix, he said, "It's here, too. Same smell."

Draco and Hermione looked at each other. His eyes were filled with shame; hers with embarrassment.

Barq watched their expressions. "It's curious that you were both marked with the same death. Is that normal for humans? And in the arm, too. For us, it's the underbelly where we are susceptible."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "I'll tell you what's curious…..how did you know what species we were?"

"Draco," chided Hermione. "Don't be rude."

The little twig looked at the young wizard. "You are not the first to enter our lands. I've seen your kind before. Indeed, one like you came not long ago. But his wound was in a different place."

"Who?" asked Hermione.

"I do not know. His thoughts were calmer. Hardly any mist came with him and what there was, was pure. The wounded one didn't like it, but the spirit visiting did."

Hermione and Draco were at a loss with that tidbit of information. What could it mean?

Right before Hermione could ask Barq to take them to the other human, a strong breeze began to blow. It was the first strong wind they'd felt in this place. The widu's eyes widened in fright. "It's here!" He whirled around and looked at Draco in anger. "You…... _you_ did this! You brought it!"

"What? What did I do?" Draco had no idea what he could have done.

"You set it loose!"

And unreasonable fear gripped Hermione. She looked at Draco. "Did you call forth something?"

"No! I mean…..not that I know. I just had a thought…"

"I told you! I told you to watch your mind. But you didn't listen!" The gale was pulling at the little creature. He was holding on as best as he could to the moss. "Beware! Beware of it!"

Then the wind lifted the twig and carried it beyond Hermione and Draco's sight. They looked at each other, their minds filled with questions and the beginnings of fright.

"What is….. _it_?" she whispered.

As if in answer to her question, a strange howl filled the silence. It reminded Hermione of the mating call of a werewolf.

Draco swallowed. "Crap. I hope that isn't what I think it is."

Hermione's eyes sought out his. "Draco! Stop _thinking_!"

They both jumped when they heard a movement by them. Then another howl sounded. This one sounded stronger, more menacing. Without the least bit hesitation, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand, and together the two began to scurry away from the sound.

"Even dead, we have no peace," Draco gasped between breaths as he and Hermione raced their way through the bracken. For a time that's all they did. They ran through the dim landscape, dodging objects that only became clear right before they were on them; slipping and sliding over leaves and slick wet places. Both teenagers were breathing heavily, their lungs feeling like they'd caught fire.

"Dra….Draco…..have to rest…..can't run anymore," Hermione panted after several minutes of running in a blind panic.

Draco realized the sounds had finally stopped. Probably when he'd forced his mind to go blank. He stopped and bent over, his hands on his knees while he drew in great lungfuls of air. He didn't realize he was still holding Hermione's hand until he felt her give his a timid squeeze.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "You?"

She nodded back at him while slowly withdrawing her hand. Draco was keenly aware of the absence of its warmth.

"Listen, I've changed my mind about this place….."

"Me, too," he said. "This can't be a room of requirement."

"My thoughts, exactly. Otherwise, it would have given us the extra blanket last night when we asked. And I don't think it would be trying to scare us like this."

"Hmm…." Draco paused. "I agree with you about the scaring bit. But this place did give us food and bedding."

"Yes, but if you recall, I didn't actually _ask_ for them. It was more like I was _thinking_ of how tired and hungry I was."

"That's right," Draco muttered. "You were thinking it…then..." He suddenly looked up. "Hermione, this place _is_ turning our thoughts into reality. That could be dangerous."

Draco didn't realize he'd said Hermione's given name aloud, but she certainly did. Her heart gave a queer little jump, but she tried to ignore it. "I know. We'll have to be really careful from now on."

Draco reached over and calmly pushed back a curl stuck to her sweaty forehead. She shivered at the gentleness of his touch. "I swear, I've never seen so much hair," he chuckled. Then he changed the subject. "Feel like trying an experiment? Let's see if we can get rid of this fog."

Hermione's eyes brightened. "Of course! Barq said the fog was our doing…..so theoretically, we should be able to make it leave. You're brilliant, Draco!"

His breath caught as he took in her face. How had he ever thought her eyes muddy? They were shining like stars.

Hermione froze when she realized she had just gushed over a former enemy. What would he think of her?

Draco was surprised by her words of praise and touched, too. However, he hid his real feelings with a smirk. "Just now noticing that? Of course I'm brilliant. And clever and devilishly handsome too, now that I think of it."

Hermione laughed. "Tooting our own horn?"

He snorted. "Hardly. Just stating the obvious. So tell me. Were you thinking about dismal, pea soup-type weather before you got here? Because I know I wasn't."

"I think the fog has less to do with our thoughts and more to do with our emotions. Maybe….sad ones..." She paused and bit her lip, hesitant to say what was on her mind.

"Spit it out, Granger," said Draco. "I can see your brain churning from here."

"I was going to say…...if you were sad…...well, it would be normal for you to be grieving over the loss of your friend."

Draco looked startled at first at Hermione's words; then, a hard glint filled his eyes. He sneered. "Are you referring to Crabbe? Don't waste your pity on him, Granger."

Hermione was shocked at the sudden shift in Draco's attitude. "But…..he was always with you…..was a Slytherin…"

"So were alot of others who died today, and their only crime was being born into a pureblood family. Unlike them, Vin's sins were many. You don't know the horrible things he did. He _enjoyed_ doing them. Believe me, he got what he deserved." Draco studied the ground, deliberately avoiding Hermione's searching eyes. His manner made it clear he didn't want to discuss it further.

Neither noticed the mist turning darker and colder the more Draco talked about his former bodyguard.

Hermione wasn't going to give up. "You wouldn't have given him a second chance if he'd had a change of heart?"

Draco scoffed. "You wouldn't be asking that if you had seen him at one of the revels."

"What about yourself?"

His head whipped up at that question. "What about me?"

Hermione's voice softened to a near whisper. "Do you deserve a second chance?"

His face reddened, but his answer was clear. "No."

"Why not?"

Draco sighed in defeat. "You know why not."

"Nonsense. I've seen good in you, Draco. You know I have."

"You've seen what you wanted to see."

"Oh? What about that night at the manor?"

Draco swallowed hard. He didn't want to talk about that day. It was one of the worst he'd ever experienced.

"I know…..I _know_ you were helping me somehow. I'm not sure what you did, but….."

Draco had thought she would be in too much pain to notice how he'd unspooled his magic to wrap around her core. It had felt weirdly intimate; he'd not known it could even be done until he'd instinctively released his magic to cover his classmate. It had not kept her from being tortured, but it had kept her in one piece. She'd not suffered a mind broken by the pain; she had not had her magic implode from the unrelenting onslaught. She'd stayed alive.

Because of him.

"I could feel you," she was saying as Draco came back from the memory. "Your magic…...it's very powerful. Far more than I ever fathomed."

He didn't know how to respond, so he kept quiet.

"Why did you do it?"

Draco looked at her then. Hermione's expression was open and honest. She wasn't being nosy or intrusive; she wasn't judging.

Her only motive was wanting to understand him. It dawned on Draco she wanted to know who he really was.

"I….I don't know," he answered. "It just seemed….right."

And at that exact moment, the first shaft of sunlight broke through the fog.

* * *

000

 **AN** : _The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts_ is a quote by Marcus Aurelius. Widu is old Saxon for wood.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

'Oh, my….." Hermione's breath caught as she took in the sight around her. "Barq was telling us the truth," she whispered.

Draco was speechless. Now that the sun had broken through the gloom, the sunshine was rapidly dissipating the fog. The two teens could see what had previously been shrouded by mist. They were standing in a patch of grassy meadow within a forest comprised mostly of birch and poplar trees. Meandering through the trees was a small brook. It must have been the source of the pitter-pattering sounds they'd heard yesterday. On the edges of the stream, anemones and violets were growing in profusion. Foxgloves dotted the ground around the trunks of the biggest trees. In the meadow where they were, bluebells surrounded them, rising up to reach their knees.

"Blimey," murmured Draco. Seeing the Eden splendor before him caused a lump to grow in his throat. His eyes stung with unshed tears. He felt like he was revisiting a too-sweet moment of something that had happened to him when he was a wee babe. Something that was just out of reach of memory. Something he instinctively ached to have back.

Hermione took his hand excitedly. "Come on!" she giggled as she pulled him toward the stream. Together they waded into its depths. Draco's breath caught at the sudden temperature change into the frigid water, but almost immediately, the cold gave way to a feeling of tingling delight. It was invigorating. He couldn't remember when he'd felt so carefree. He laughed for no reason other than to give voice to the pure joy that had washed over his soul. Watching her companion, Hermione smiled. Seeing Draco Malfoy free and unburdened was a lovely sight. It touched a chord deep inside her. It was like she was finally seeing him as he was always meant to be, if upbringing and circumstances hadn't gotten in the way.

 _So handsome_ , she sighed. Then she smiled mischievously. Acting on a whim, she reached down and splashed some of the cold water on Draco. He yelped, surprised, as he'd had his back turned when she'd done it.

"Someone wants to get dunked," he sing-songed as Hermione, anticipating his reaction, squealed and began to slosh away from him.

"Oh no you don't." Draco didn't know if it was Hermione's giggling that had slowed her down, but he quickly captured her and held her tightly in his arms.

"Gotcha," he grinned.

Hermione's heart started to race. She was suddenly aware of the feel of Draco's body. Strong arms, lean torso. Muscular legs. Yesterday, she'd been able to smell the stench of battle on him. The clashing scents of smoke and sweat and blood; the metallic, almost chemical tang of dark magic from curses that had rippled in the air, their residue permeating his clothes. Now, she could smell _him_. The clean, salty scent of an ocean breeze. The bright crispness of sun-kissed lemons. The calm herbal fragrance of basil. All of those made up Draco's essence. His scent soothed her spirit. She found herself relaxing against him; the feeling of his strong arms around her filled her with a sense of peace and comfort. She laughed at the irony. Draco Malfoy made her feel…. _safe?_ When had that happened? Hermione looked up at him and nervously swallowed. A wild thought went through her mind as to what it would be like to kiss him.

"So...you've caught me. Now what?" she dared to ask.

Draco paused. It occurred to him that he and Hermione were in what would be considered an intimate embrace. He should let her go. It was unseemly. Wrong. It went against generations of indoctrination.

 _But it feels right_ , his heart argued. There was that impulse again. Doing what felt right.

Why would that response seem so foreign to him? Had he lived the majority of his life not being allowed that liberty? And why did it always involve _her_? He looked down at Hermione's face. She was looking up at him, her emotions displayed as plain as day. She looked like a witch who wanted to be kissed.

 _Gryffindors,_ he smirked. _Always showing their hand._

Always following their hearts.

Draco swallowed. The war within him was stronger than he expected. He felt he was at some kind of crossroads. Give in to an impulse? Or follow the beliefs of his forefathers? Did he really want to start something with the brightest witch of their age?

 _What am I doing?_

He suddenly felt afraid, the memory of his parents' warnings screaming in the back of his mind. Should he listen to them? Maybe he should back away while he still could.

Hermione saw it when Draco's features began to cloud again with doubt. The image of the free young man was slowly morphing back into the shuttered countenance of one doomed to slavery. It broke her heart. She had to do something. Reaching up, she cradled his cheeks in her hands and rose on her tiptoes to affectionately kiss his cheek.

Draco stiffened at the sudden contact.

 _She kissed me!_ His mother would be shocked; his father, livid with rage. But then the absurdity of that thought hit him.

 _If I'm dead, why should I care?_ The opinions of the living should not trouble the dead.

The reality that he was finally free from the expectations that had restricted him since the moment of birth hit Draco hard.

No. More. Chains.

Like an excited child waking up on Christmas morning to claim the gifts that Saint Nicholas had left him, Draco wasted no time in claiming Hermione's lips with his. It was comical in a way. His kiss was not smooth by any means; his first try landed on her chin when Hermione, realizing what he was about to do, leaned up to meet him. His second attempt, still a bit clumsy, had greater success. But what was important, was that it was heartfelt and _his_ decision. The curls of deep blue mist that had begun to form again dissolved into nothingness. A robin high above on a tree branch burst into song.

Finishing up with an awkward peck on her forehead, Draco waited until Hermione opened her eyes. "I hope I didn't…..I mean...was that okay? Or do I owe you an apology?"

She replied with bald honesty. "I…..I was wishing you would."

Draco smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling adorably. "I…..I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't kissed me first. Why did you?"

"Because…...well….." What could she say? _Because I saw you slipping back into misery?_ No, she wouldn't say that. He wouldn't appreciate anything resembling pity. _Because I wanted to know what your lips felt like?_ Heavens, there was no way she was going to admit that. He might feel he'd been tricked. Or worse, he might laugh at her.

"I….I don't really know why," was what she ended up saying. The little bird above her head began to twitter angrily as if scolding Hermione for telling a fib. She couldn't help but feel chastised. Draco grinned at her guilty look. Then he chuckled. "Just so you know, you're a horrible liar."

"Oh, shush." She peeked at him shyly. "Er….why did _you_ do it?"

Draco gazed at her for a long minute. He finally said, "Because nothing is stopping me now."

Hermione didn't need him to explain what he meant. She knew without him saying.

"So, I suppose I can now expect random acts of affection from you?" she asked with an impish twinkle in her eyes.

Draco huffed in pretended exasperation. "You started it, witch."

"Don't recall you complaining."

"Well, what was I supposed to do?"

"For starters, how about being a better aim? Unless you were trying to snog my chin."

"Hey! You're the one who jumped me, so it's not my fault you didn't stay still. Just couldn't wait for me to kiss you, could you?" he teased her right back.

Hermione reddened, embarrassed at the truth of those words, until she saw Draco standing there with a sinfully smug look on his face. Well. Two could play this game.

"Draco Malfoy, heir of an ancient dynasty, powerful wizard and…...kissing klutz." She giggled and said, "I think it's cute."

Her dart hit the mark. He grumbled. "Cute. Do you know how insulting that is to a man?"

"Would adorable do better?" she teased as she batted her eyelashes coquettishly.

Draco couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculous expression. "Got something in your eye, Granger?"

Hermione swatted him. "Prat. That was me being flirty."

A soft smile appeared on Draco's face. Hermione, unlike Pansy or some of the other Slytherin witches, was so innocent. So….. _pure._ So much fun and so…...irresistible. Why had he not ever noticed it before? She was a breath of fresh air, a taste of clean water. He began to feel a growing need for her. He was surprised when he felt the beginnings of arousal.

"Well Miss Flirt, I need you to consider that it's been hours since we've last eaten. I'm starved. So quit admiring me and think us up some food."

"I'm not your house elf, Lord Malfoy, so knock it off with the bossiness. Anyhow, I don't think that's going to work this time. I've already been doing that with no results. Come on." She gave his hand a tug and together they both walked out of the stream.

"Let's not get too far away from the water," Draco said. "Hunger is one thing, but being thirsty is far worse."

"I agree."

For a time, the two walked together in silence. To tell the truth, they were both now feeling a little shy. Hermione kept stealing glances at the tall blonde beside her. Never in a million years would she have expected the two of them to have a connection. He was a death eater; she a mudblood.

 _I can't believe I kissed him! And…..he kissed me back…..._

Not that they'd been terribly romantic kisses, but still. They'd imparted affection. Attraction. If she were to be honest, maybe even a little bit of desire. Maybe even more than a little bit.

 _What would Harry and Ron have thought if they had seen us?_ She knew the answer to that. _They would have thought I'd been imperiused and would have tried to save me. Idiots._ She snorted. Hermione knew she hadn't wanted rescuing. Her companion eyed her curiously, but she didn't notice, too absorbed in her thoughts.

Looking down at his feet as they tramped through the high grass, Draco wondered, _What happens now?_ He could hardly call Hermione an adversary anymore; truthfully, he'd not thought of her that way since she'd been brought to the manor. Actually, she'd never been one. Her being the best friend of Harry Potter was what had put her in Draco's sights to begin with. But they'd not been friends.

 _Maybe we're still nothing to each other._ But his heart and mind strongly rejected that thought. He knew as well as he knew his own name that they had passed over a boundary. He just didn't know which one. The weirdness of this place had to be doing something to them both.

 _Is it because we're dead?_

Draco persisted in that belief. He tried to recall if any of the ghosts at Hogwarts had romantic relationships. He didn't think so. Did that make him and Hermione unique?

 _Why is this so hard to figure out?_ he muttered to himself just as Hermione pulled up short.

"Draco…...look," she nodded ahead.

He lifted his head to see smoke rising hazily from an old stone chimney attached to an equally old cabin. The quaint little house was situated next to the stream they'd been following. Around the front door, blooming perennials and ferns graced its sides. To Hermione, the cottage looked like it had been patterned after the ones she'd read about in fairy tales. To Draco, it looked like an elven home.

"Do you think anyone's home?" she asked him.

"Probably, since someone had to have started a fire in the fireplace. Let's go find out."

Hermione hung back. "I….I don't know…...what if that person is hostile? We can't suppose everyone here is a friend."

Draco gave her an appraising look. "Are you scared? That's not like you."

It didn't register to Hermione that Draco had just given her a compliment. "I….what if we meet up with that _thing_ you were thinking about?" Hermione recalled the sound of the monster Draco had been imagining. It had sounded like a werewolf; two of them in fact.

 _But it could have been something else…..something much worse. There's no telling what mutant abominations of Voldemort's he's seen._

"Stop that."

Hermione blinked her eyes. The dark cumulonimbus cloud that had sprung up from nowhere to overshadow the sun broke apart.

"Remember….we have to control our imaginations. Well…..at least the _bad_ ones," he said winking. "It should be safe for you to continue fantasizing about me."

Hermione blushed. "You are so full of yourself," she muttered.

"Aha…..so you _have_ been thinking of me." Draco's smirk became a full on grin. "I thought as much."

Hermione's face turned crimson when she realized what she'd revealed. "I hope you're enjoying yourself."

Draco laughed out loud. "Oh, I am. Immensely. Especially now that I know you think I'm _cute_."

She gave him a sheepish smile. "Touché."

They walked together to the door of the cottage. "Well, here goes," he murmured. Using the brass ringer, he knocked loudly. "Hello?" he called, but he heard no movement inside. Draco was undeterred. "I'm going in. Hopefully, the door's unlocked."

"Would it matter if it wasn't?" Hermione snickered. "Did you forget _alohomora_?"

Ignoring that jibe, Draco turned the handle. The door creaked open, letting them in.

"Oh, _yes_. Food." Hermione sighed, breathing in the scent of home-cooked meal. A rustic table off to the side appeared to be set for two. There were two plates, two forks and two goblets filled with some liquid. In the middle of the table was a steaming dish of Shepherd's pie.

Draco became excited at seeing his favorite meal. "Brilliant! Come on…..let's tuck in while it's hot."

The two youths quickly set down in the chairs and helped themselves. There was a board with fresh bread upon it, already sliced, on the table as well as a crock of butter and a jar of preserves. As they consumed the delicious fare, they talked. And laughed. And learned more about each other. Hermione didn't stop to think it odd when she buttered a slice of bread for Draco. He spooned a second helping of the homemade jam for her when he noticed she'd eaten her first serving. It didn't occur to them they were tending to each other's need; they just did it because it felt natural and normal. This strange little world where hidden thoughts and feelings were revealed in nature was having an equal effect on the wizard and witch trapped in it. Their true personalities were coming to the forefront. They were shedding the protections needed by the living; slowly but surely, their guard and reserve was falling away to show what was real and genuine. Draco reached over to the counter to grab a pitcher that had been left there. He topped off Hermione's cup first before he poured himself another glass. The evening before, they'd been given something that had tasted like firewhiskey; it had enabled them to relax and go to sleep after their distressing day. This drink was more like butterbeer. Smooth, creamy, sweet. A perfect accompaniment to their hearty meal. Their appetites temporarily sated, Draco sighed pleasurably. A yawn left him. He felt a good afternoon nap would be just the thing. Just as he was about to suggest it, he took a look outside the window. He frowned.

"Hermione…...what time is it?"

"Sorry?" She looked up from her plate to see him staring out the window. What she saw surprised her. "I thought it was around noon."

So had Draco. But the sun hanging low in the horizon indicated late afternoon.

'I….I don't understand," she murmured.

"Maybe it's what you said before. This place isn't in our universe. It doesn't follow our time."

Hermione stared forlornly at Draco after he said that. For a few minutes that's all they did. Stare at the other. Finally, she broke the silence. Reaching over to put her hand on top of his she said, "You're smart, Draco. Surely you've realized what that may imply."

"Are you talking about us being dead? I've come to terms with that probability."

She shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. Not exactly. Well, not with us, anyhow. I mean, we could be dead, but what I was really thinking about was if we are in a different dimension/reality, then we have no idea how much time has passed in our world since we've been gone."

Draco's brow furrowed. "I'm not following you."

"Well, time is irregular here, right? Have we been here two days? Or two hours? How can we tell?"

Draco's brow furrowed. He didn't like where this conversation was headed.

"Maybe it's been a week….or a month." She took a deep breath. "Or…...it could have been centuries for all we know."

The enormity of what Hermione was implying hit him hard. He sucked in a breath. "If that's so…."

"Then everyone we've known and loved...is gone," she finished for him.

Draco said nothing after that. Looking back out at the window, it now showed an inky, starry sky where two moons were shining in celestial splendor. His mother had always loved the night. The moon. The stars. That's what she'd called him when he'd been a young lad….her own personal constellation. Her Draco. He swallowed thickly. "I think I'm proper tired now," he said in a low, trembling voice.

"Alright." Hermione rose from her chair. "I'm just going to tidy this up a bit."

"I'll help you," he said. Using their wands, they made short work of cleaning the table. Then they looked around for a place to bed down. The small living area only had the table, two chairs and a smallish sofa. But there was a loft above the kitchen. Climbing up the rickety ladder, they found a small bedroom with a bathroom attached to it.

"I'm afraid we'll have to share again," said Hermione.

"Fine with me."

They took turns using the bathroom. When they came out, both had transfigured their clothes into something more comfortable for sleeping.

Draco turned back the covers and got in. Too disturbed to feel self-conscious, he held out his arms. "Please," was all he said.

Hermione could feel what he didn't say.

 _I need you._

She followed him into bed and cuddled up against him. Together, they held on tightly to each other. Both were trying to deal with the very real possibility that their loved ones wouldn't be there to greet them when they got back. If they ever did get back, that is.

It took Draco a few minutes to realize Hermione was quietly crying into his sleeping vest. It took her a little longer to notice the top of her head was damp with his tears.

They had each other, which both were profoundly grateful to have. But their combined sadness was oppressive.

Something had to give.

Neither considered where their next actions would take them. Neither envisioned their needs escalating into a searing inferno that would burn proprieties to ash.

Two bright moons, long orbiting the same path, finally succumbed to the gravitational pull of the other.

The night, thrown in total darkness, covered its eyes.

But the stars peeped.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When Hermione woke up, the space beside her where Draco had slept was cold. Opening her eyes, she saw him standing by the window, his bare back to her. Beyond him, a strange light could be seen outside. It was neither the dawning sunlight of a new day nor a midnight light from a lantern or fire, but a peculiar type of radiance that gave the sky an otherworldly, chartreuse-colored glow. The two moons were gone; in their place were clouds reflecting the color around them. They reminded Hermione of Northern lights.

"What's going on?" she asked drowsily.

Draco turned around. His face was solemn. "I don't know. But this," he said as he gestured at the window. "This worries me. It….it looks….spooky."

Hermione hid her grin at his choice of words and was almost tempted to say nothing could be scarier than seeing a _Morsmordre_ hanging in the sky, but refrained. There would be no point in opening old wounds. Climbing out of the bed, she went to stand beside him. Draco slipped his arm around her, holding her as one would a lover. Which was now his right.

The night before had shattered all illusions. Afterward, they'd both come to the truth; whatever mysterious tie it was that linked them, it was far greater than they'd known. Their relationship felt right; natural. Strong, like it had always been there.

 _And maybe it had_ , thought Hermione. Maybe their situations had been what kept them from realizing it. Draco had been on one side, she on the other, with no bridge in between. But here in this strange world, it was as clear as day that the two teens were two sides of the same coin.

Both intelligent, articulate, loyal. But they were flip sides as well. One a saint, the other a survivor. One desperately wanting forgiveness, the other practiced in giving it.

Hermione leaned up to give Draco a soft kiss. He pulled her tightly against him and sighed. "Hermione…." he began.

She tilted her head to better see his face. It looked drawn and pained.

"What is it?"

Draco swallowed. "I….I had a dream last night. A nightmare, actually."

Hermione began to rub his back in comforting circles. "Why don't you tell me about it? It might make you feel better."

Draco doubted it, but did what she said. "Well," he started, "it was a simple dream, really. In a way, that made it worse...being simple, I mean…..but, anyhow…...I was standing in front of two doors. Someone, I couldn't see their face, but they seemed familiar somehow, was on the side telling me I had to choose one of the doors to walk through." He nervously glanced at her. Hermione was looking at him, a patient expression on her face.

"Go on," she urged.

"I felt pressured in the dream to hurry. I didn't know which door I should pick. But finally, the person beside me said my time had run out and I had to make a decision." He choked on his next words. "I picked the door on the right…..but when I did….." he looked down at her then, a tortured expression on his face, "I...I lost you." Draco hugged Hermione tightly and buried his face in her curls. "I..I can't….I can't go back to that…." He looked up finally, and Hermione saw his eyes were glazed with tears. "I know it may be too late, but I want you in my life. I need you."

He kissed her then, a kiss that was full of desperate longing and sadness. Hermione returned it with equal passion. What they were feeling didn't make sense, but neither could deny it. It was crazy to feel so strongly. Crazy to have no doubts. But they didn't. They knew implicitly. They had always been intended for the other.

"I feel it, too," Hermione whispered as soon as Draco broke the kiss. "I don't want to lose you, either. But it was just a dream, Draco. I'm not going anywhere."

He was not convinced. "It _seemed_ real. And in this place…...who's to say it wasn't a sign?"

The words had just left his mouth when they heard a knock on the front door. They looked at each other fearfully. "This can't be good," he said.

"Should we open it?" she whispered.

Draco swallowed hard, but didn't say anything. He quickly grabbed his shirt and transfigured his pajama bottoms into the pants he'd been wearing and climbed down the loft. Hermione followed after him.

Looking back, he gazed at her one more time. She gave him a hopeful smile. "I'm here, right behind you."

He did his best to smile back, but fell a little short. Another knock, this one a bit more insistent banged against the door.

Taking a deep breath, Draco opened it to see a tall, black-haired man standing in front of him.

"Professor Snape?" he said in astonishment.

Behind him, he heard Hermione gasp. "Draco…..it can't be him. I….I saw him die."

Hearing her words, Severus raised a brow. "And? Did you think that would be it? That once my body succumbed to the inevitable, the rest of me would follow suit? "

"I…" Hermione was stymied. How did one respond to a question like that?

"I see the both of you are as incapable as ever of grasping nuances. Draco, I'm ashamed. And Miss Granger, I suppose insufferable-know-it alls don't know everything, do they? _Obviously_ , that was why I was sent to deal with you," he said in withering scorn. "Well, don't just stand there with your mouths open. Follow me."

With that, he whipped back around and began to walk toward a clump of rowan trees in the distance.

"Do you really think that's him?" Hermione asked Draco. "It could be a trap."

Snape turned around and saw that the teens were still by the door. Rolling his eyes, he thundered, "You do know why I am here, don't you? . . . I've not been sent to perform this tedious job only for you to stand there like concussed trolls."

Draco and Hermione stared at him blankly.

"It may mean nothing to you, but helping incompetent students who have blundered into places they have no business being is not my idea of an eternal reward. Now, are you coming or not?"

"Sounds just like the professor to me," Draco murmured.

Scrabbling after him, Draco and Hermione soon caught up with Severus. He continued to lead them deeper into the heart of the woods. It grew dark; the two lovers instinctively joined hands. Wherever he was leading them, they would go united. Hermione shivered; Draco squeezed her hand in sympathy. Everything was eerily quiet. Everything, that is, except the sky. Each time a cloud drifted into another, it emitted a strange chime that echoed off the other clouds. The tonal quality of the vibrations was something that neither teen had ever heard. Not a cry created by living flesh, not a note from a musical instrument, not a synthetic, digitized noise, the ringing seemed almost….spiritual. As if the sound wasn't registering with their ears at all but with their souls.

"Maybe I was right after all," whispered Draco.

Hermione looked up at him. The light from the sky was making an ethereal halo around his white blonde hair. Draco looked like a angel.

"You still think we're dead."

He nodded. "You saw the professor die, right? So….we know he is. Doesn't it makes sense that we are, too? That's why we can see him."

"Yeah." Hermione didn't say anything else, but drew closer to him. Putting her arm around his waist, she leaned her head on his shoulder as they continued to trail after Snape.

"I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things," Draco murmured against her hair.

A sarcastic snort cut into the quiet. "Must I suffer listening to your melodramatic sentiments?" the surly professor whined. "You don't know what it means to have experienced the end of all things, boy."

"Don't call him a boy!" Hermione cried, fed up with Snape's churlish attitude. She stopped in her tracks, jerking Draco in the process.

Snape turned around. "Tell me then, Miss Granger," he said scathingly, "Why does it matter to you? As I recall, the two of you were enemies."

"Well…...that….that was before," she stammered. Memories of the previous night flooded her mind and caused her cheeks to flame with color. "Things are different now."

"Oh, really?" he deadpanned. "Care to share with the class?"

No, she definitely didn't want to do that.

"We…..mean something to each other," Draco answered for her.

Severus' smirked. "Indeed. How _informative_. Mean _what_ , precisely?"

Draco was angered by the older wizard's mocking. "We love each other, alright? Or is that putting too fine a point on it?" Beside him, he heard Hermione's breath catch. "Or rather…" he turned around to look at her, "….we soon will?"

She nodded at him, her eyes shining with happy tears. "We will."

Draco reached out to cup her cheek with his hand. "Funny how it took me dying to see it. But you were always supposed to be mine."

Hermione leaned into his touch. "And you for me."

The sound of hands clapping reminded them they had an audience. Severus stood there wearing a sneer that would have put any of Lucius Malfoy's to shame. "What a touching tableau. So sickeningly _sweet_."

"Why are you so hateful?" bristled Hermione. Her hair began to fan out with the rising of her magic. The soft breeze that had been sporadically blowing grew in strength. "You know what? I won't put up with it any longer. You're not our teacher anymore. Go away and haunt someone else."

Draco chuckled as he gave his lioness a squeeze. "She's right. You're being a jerk."

Severus' lip curled. "Mind your attitude, you two. And be honest with yourselves. These so-called feelings you've discovered aren't real. Teenage lust and infatuation are the only things driving this little fantasy. They wouldn't stand up to a test."

Draco's face hardened. "It's not for you to judge what's real and what's not when it comes to our feelings. And it's not your place to test us. Hermione's right. Leave us."

"If I leave, _others_ will come," he gave Draco a dark look full of foreboding. "Need I remind you of what they're like? I've been sent to see if you would come to your senses. You know what's expected of you, Draco. You've sown your wild oats; it's time now to stop this nonsense and do what is right."

 _Right?_

Draco sucked in a breath. Yes, he knew what right was. It was what he'd done when he'd protected Hermione that night at the manor. When he apologized to her for how he'd always treated her. When he'd kissed her. When he'd given all of himself to her.

But what the professor was expecting him to do now…..that wasn't right. It was the same as….

 _The dream_.

The seemingly _right_ door had cost him Hermione.

He couldn't let that happen.

Unbidden, a bit of verse from a text he'd read before came back to him. " _No sooner did I depart from them than I found the one whom my soul loved. I held on to her and would not let her go."_

That was his answer.

"Let them come," he said.

"They'll do their worst," Snape warned. "Don't be foolish, Draco."

Hermione watched with bated breath as the two wizards verbally duked it out.

"They've already done their worst!" he yelled into the professor's face. "My life was crap because of _them_. Pureblood elitists spouting hate, my father being one of the most vile. I should have been allowed a normal childhood, but I wasn't. It was a waste, but my death won't be."

"Draco, don't…"

"I choose Hermione."

As soon as he said those words, Snape's countenance changed. The scowl melted away. He smiled, a true, earnest smile that showed in his eyes. Hermione was amazed at the difference it made in his appearance.

" _Finally_ ," he said. "I honestly wondered if you had it in you. When the perpetual buffoonery that is Ronald Weasley didn't spur you into action, I despaired of you ever seeing the truth. But I admit it; I was wrong. Well done, my lad."

"Wha….you mean, you _knew_? That I should be with Hermione?"

"Yes. So did the Headmaster."

Draco and Hermione looked at each other in surprised shock.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Snape sighed. "You couldn't be influenced like that. It had to come from within or not at all."

"So….was this a test?"

Snape inclined his head in the affirmative. "One, I regret to say, I failed at when I was your age. But you, Mr. Malfoy, exceeded my expectations and have proven yourself the better man." Then the ex-professor turned to Hermione. Taking her hand, he kindly said, "Although I never gave you any indication of it, I enjoyed teaching you, Miss Granger. Your intelligence and spirit reminded me of another muggleborn I once…..knew." Clearing his throat, he continued, "Now that you've embraced the truth, it's time for the both of you to decide how you will go forward."

"Go forward? But we're dead," said Draco.

"I'd hardly call you dead. At least, not yet."

Hermione's eyes quickly darted to Draco's. "We're not?"

Severus shook his head. "No. You, my dear girl, were hit with a spell that should have ended your life….."

Draco gritted his teeth. _No…..._ He couldn't lose her. Not now.

"...But your soul is connected to Draco's. At the moment of impact, your thoughts were on each other. As you know, the magic of the mind is very powerful. Your tie caused the curse to be shared. Currently, you are both tottering between life and death."

"That's what Barq said," she acknowledged. "That we were in Betwixt."

Severus couldn't help but chuckle at the mention of the tiny wooden creature. "I can just imagine what that conversation was like. However, he did tell you the truth. Where we are now is a place constantly in flux; it is a type of bridge between time and eternity, a temporal place if you will, where thoughts and emotions find expression. Nothing remains hidden here." He looked at them wistfully. His next words were soft. "You will find there is a book of Revelation in everyone's life. Be thankful yours was the discovery of what you two were meant to be to the other."

Then he coughed self-consciously and quickly changed the subject. "I assume you've noticed the irregularity of time during your stay?"

Both teens nodded.

"This country is pulled between the two dimensions. That's why you cannot remain; none can live here, other than the natural inhabitants of this land."

"But Barq said others had come here. Others like us."

"Yes, because they too, had a decision to make. The same as yourselves. That is the nature of this place."

Draco spoke up. "And we will be deciding…...?"

"Whether to go on or go back." He gave both of them a knowing look. "It's time now for you to make up your minds."

"Go on?" asked Hermione. "Go on…..where?"

Severus's expression was enigmatic when he answered in a soft voice. "Far, far away... behind the moon... beyond the rain."

Her next words were in a barely voiced whisper. "Is it…..is it what you thought it would be?"

The professor's voice was very gentle when he answered. "It's far better."

He lifted up his wand from his robe and pointed it at a tall fir tree. Instantly, the tree transformed into the ancient arch they had seen before. The scene in it remained unchanged.

"Hogwarts…..during battle," he murmured. "I was not alive for this."

"Is that where we're going?" asked Draco.

"If you wish it. This portal will take you to your chosen destination."

"So, it _is_ a teleport," murmured Draco. He frowned. "Why didn't it take me somewhere when I stepped into it earlier?"

"Because you hadn't decided yet where you wanted to go," Hermione said. "Isn't that right, Professor?"

Severus gave her a little nod. "As always, you are correct, Hermione." It was the first time he'd called her by her given name. It caused her to blush.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get back, love," said Draco. "Let's help Potter end this."

She hesitated. She sensed there was more. "It can't be that simple, Draco. The Professor wouldn't have come otherwise."

That stopped the blonde. He stared at his former teacher, who looked surprisingly guilty. "What haven't you told us?"

"Unfortunately, Miss Granger is correct in her assumption. It….it won't be easy for either of you if you choose to return. Draco, neither you nor Hermione will be in any position to aid Mr. Potter. It's not a given either of you will survive the curse that was directed at Hermione. If not, all of this will have been moot. However, should you live, it will take time for you both to heal. Afterward, Draco….you will be tried and sent to Azkaban. You may or may not be released, depending on the consideration of the Wizengamot."

The young wizard paled.

Severus turned to Hermione then. "If Draco is condemned to spend his days in prison, I'm afraid your life will be quite solitary. Even though the Dark Lord will have been defeated, you will never be truly accepted within the magical community. Harry Potter will be the only one who will remain faithful to your friendship. The others will forget in time."

Hermione's eyes began to shine with unshed tears. A horrible future awaited for the both of them. "Can you see if Draco will be freed?"

Severus sadly shook his head. "Sadly, no. I can't see beyond Azkaban for him."

Draco and Hermione clung to the other. Die…...or live. _Possibly._ And should they survive, the chances of living a happy life were close to nil.

The odds were definitely not in their favor.

Severus laid a hand on the shoulder of each. "I've given you all the insight I have. From here on out, it's your decision. Choose wisely."

He then moved away from the couple so they could talk in privacy. Walking over to the arch, he placed his hand on one of the ancient stones. He could feel the thrumming of power contained in it. After a few minutes passed, Severus glanced back at Draco and Hermione. Their heads were close together. They made quite a good-looking couple. Their children would have been very beautiful. Very intelligent.

He sighed. Why was it that soulmates so often had difficulties to overcome? What malevolent power tried to keep them apart? Just like what he'd endured with Lily. He'd often wondered what his children would have been like if he and Lily had gotten together. How many times had he imagined Harry without glasses and with black hair and a larger nose? When alive, he'd never admitted that was what often fueled the anger he kept for the boy. That he had looked like James Potter instead of himself.

Away from the professor, Draco and Hermione were doing little other than sobbing in each other's arms.

"I don't want to go back if that's how it's going to be," Hermione said, sniffing after each word.

Draco paused. "I don't want to die…...but _Azkaban_ …" He shivered violently.

"We...we didn't even have a chance to…..to…."

"...fall in love," Draco finished for her. "And one day, marry." He kissed Hermione, his tears salting their lips.

Hermione looked up at the blonde. She tenderly brushed away the wetness on his cheeks while totally disregarding her own.

 _You were almost mine._

It was so unfair.

"Why did he even tell us this if those are our only options?"

Draco sighed before he kissed her temple. "I guess…..because…...the truth sets you free. Even if it's something you don't want to hear."

As they continued to talk, a short distance away from them, Snape studied the runes on the ancient arch. They spoke ancient words of long ago events. Creation. Destruction. Renewal.

 _The eternal pattern._

Before long, he heard a rustle. He looked up to see Draco and Hermione walking toward him, their arms around the other. He stood up and brushed off the leaves that were clinging to his robes.

"Well?" he asked. "Have you decided?"

Draco tightened his grip on Hermione's waist. "Yes. We have."

* * *

000

The Great Hall was a cacophony of sound. The battle was over; Voldemort had been defeated. But the cost for victory had been great. Laughter and tears, hugs and cries were the sights and sounds that met Harry as he walked the length of the room looking for his friends. Just as Hagrid moved to sit on a nearby bench, Harry spied several ginger-colored heads gathered together near the front where the teachers table would normally be. He called out to them and waved his hand to get their attention, but to no avail. Finally, Ron turned his head. Shock and dread instantly coursed through Harry's veins ; he feared he knew not what seeing his best friend's face twisted with pain. Another Weasley must have paid the ultimate price for their victory.

 _Oh, please no,_ he thought in a panic. Fred had died before he'd gone out into the forest to confront Voldemort. _Was it?….God, no. Please don't let it be Ginny._

Harry raced ahead as he pushed against others to get where they were.

His heart plummeted when he finally saw the cause of Ron's grief.

They were standing near where the bodies of those who fought for the Light were being laid. There were too many corpses. Too many whom Harry cared about. His vision began to blur. Some caring individual, Luna most probably, had lovingly laid the deceased according to families and loved ones. Magic called to like magic, even in death. It was the way of wizards. Students were placed beside their siblings, the familial powers acting like magnets, needing touch. Couples were also there, united in a final, cold embrace. Harry fell to his knees beside the bodies of Remus and Tonks, their hands still joined.

The Chosen One let out one single, anguished cry. " _Hermione_!"

For there in front of him were the bodies of Hogwarts' unknown soulmates, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, their arms around the other as they left the world the way they'd decided.

Together.

* * *

000

 **AN:** Don't be mad! **ducks from rotten tomatoes being thrown** That's where my muse insisted I go. That's why I had to revise. I was originally going to have them go back. But that was not to be. And BTW, please don't think this is any kind of endorsement for devaluing the precious gift of life. It absolutely is not. And I can tell you now...Hermione and Draco would not have survived the curse. They were destined to move on together.

The quote, " _I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things,_ " was from **The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien.**

" _There is a book of Revelation in everyone's life_ " is a quote from **Anne of the Island, by L.M. Montgomery.**

" _Far, far away... behind the m_ _oon_ _... beyond the rain_ " is a quote from **The Wizard of Oz.** Dorothy says this right before she begins to sing, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

The text Draco remembers was paraphrased and is from the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) in the Bible.


	6. Bonus Chapter: Through the Portal

_**AN**_ _: For_ _ **bughead,**_ _who asked for a chapter depicting Hermione and Draco in heaven. And before you say it….I know. How does one dare to write about such a subject? I confess I'm leaning_ _ **very**_ _heavily on the thoughts and writings of C.S. Lewis._

 **Bonus Chapter**  
 **Epilogue: Through the Portal**

After Draco and Hermione told the professor their decision, they turned and arm in arm, headed in the direction of the portal. Something seemed to be pulling them toward it; they felt themselves walking faster and faster until it seemed like they were running like deer along the forest path that led straight to the arch. As soon as they passed underneath it into the shimmering veil of water that had served as a type of barrier to what lay beyond, they shuddered deeply. Have you ever been inexpressibly hot on a summer day only to jump into a stream of bitingly cold water? A freezing wet immersion that seeped right into the marrow of your bones? Well, that was what Hermione and Draco felt, only deepened to a degree that was almost too painful a shock to bear. But it was over before it hardly had time to begin and afterward left them with only a deliciously tingling pleasure. The tether connecting them to their damaged bodies had surrendered its hold on their spirits. Finally free, they sighed in bliss, overcome with a feeling of overwhelming peace and happiness. Hermione began to giggle like a little girl. Draco turned his head to look at the love of his short life and gasped at the sight.

Hermione was beautiful. He'd already known she was pretty, but this was different. The Hermione of his former life had been like a poorly sketched imitation compared to the real Hermione he was now seeing. Her hair…...Draco raised his hand to run his fingers through it. The lustrous, thick ringlets of curls were like a living thing, glimmering like glass and actually moving as if breathing on its own.

He didn't know his hair was shining similarly. To Hermione, his blonde crown resembled a network of light, a nexus of pure energy. She gazed underneath it into his expressive grey eyes. Gone were the shadows. The stress lines. The worry. His face looked like that of a sailor's who had just spied his first glimpse of beloved homeland after being away on a long voyage. Hermione sucked in a breath. Before her was the free Draco she'd seen beside the brook in Betwixt. But this Draco far more real. Far more appealing. Not in just a superficial, outward way, but in the very depths of his being. Happy tears filled her eyes when she realized the attractiveness she'd been seeing all along in Draco was his spirit. The bright golden light that had never been able to fully bloom in the dark oppression that had surrounded its vessel since birth. He noticed her staring and laughed at her gobsmacked expression, even though he felt much the same way. He couldn't help it. He laughed from the sheer joy that was coursing through him.

Then something caught his eye. For the first time, he noticed they were no longer standing on a forest floor, but in the middle of a country road. It was very much like a lane that ran beside the border of his family's estate. The chestnut tree he remembered from childhood was standing in the same place near the fence, with the same low-hanging, crooked branch he'd often climbed as a lad. Draco whirled around. Yes…...everything was the same…..except…..

Somehow, it wasn't. The countryside was clearer, brighter…..the air felt cooler, but the sun was warm….and the colors were richer…the trees were taller. Still, though…...it felt so _familiar_ …...

"Hermione…...this looks like Wiltshire," he murmured. Letting go of her hand, he jogged down the road to where it curved beside a thick hedge of blooming rhododendron.

"I was right!" he shouted back. "I can see the manor from here!"

And what a manor it was. Bright and shining, it seemed even bigger, but no longer imposing. The heavy air of gloom was gone. So were the gates and wards. It was a jewel of a home, and he knew instinctively….it was now _his_. His and Hermione's.

She hurried to catch up with him, noticing she didn't feel the hitch and pull of pain caused by her injuries. With no trace of embarrassment, she lifted up her skirt to inspect one of the worst ones; a ragged scar caused by a dark curse. The spell had been intended for Harry but had hit her instead. She rubbed her fingers against the now smooth, translucent skin, marveling at its shimmery sheen. Nothing was there to mar its perfection. Her mind quickly formulating an idea, she hastily pulled up her sleeve to check on the _mudblood_ scar Bellatrix had given her. It was gone.

"Draco…..let me see your arm," she said excitedly. She scrabbled at the soft cloth of his shirt sleeve, pulling it up above his elbow. The ugly dark mark was absent.

"Blimey…." Draco whispered. Then he exclaimed, "It's gone!"

"I know," she squealed, laughing when Draco lifted her in his strong arms and twirled the both of them in happy abandon. Tilting Hermione's face, he captured her lips with his, trying somehow to express the depth of emotion he was feeling at that moment.

"Gods Hermione...l love you so much," he whispered ardently. "I can't even express how much."

"I know you do. And I love you."

Neither doubted the honesty of the other's words. Doubts and uncertainties were for the other side of the veil; in that happy clime, there was only a _knowing_. Truth shined supreme, with no suspicion or cynicism raising an ugly head to mar its perfection. It was exquisite.

For the next few minutes (or was it eons?) the two lovers held each other, trembling with a joy so sweet, it was beyond words. But gradually, a steady sound came to their attention; one that was slowly but surely making its way to them. They looked ahead and saw an old-fashioned carriage being pulled by a horse Draco instantly recognised. It was Firecat, the stallion from his childhood who'd had to be put down after becoming the unintentional target of an exceptionally wicked hex. Draco cried himself to sleep the night Firecat died, only to have his father chastise him the next morning on the folly of giving one's heart to an inferior creature.

"This is a good example of why you must keep your distance and affections from anything _less._ Take the mudblood animals you will be forced to go to school with next year," Lucius sneered. "They may seem friendly and may be pretty, but so was Firecat, and all that came from him was a broken heart. No animal is worth it, Son."

At the time, Draco had sniffed and nodded his head; anything to get his pompous father to shut up. But he'd never believed it. Not about Firecat, anyhow. And before too many years had passed, not about muggleborns, either.

Now seeing his adored stead trotting his way toward him, Draco let go of Hermione and starting running toward the beast. Firecat knew who was coming his way; with a neigh of delight, he began to canter.

"Whoa…...steady, boy," said the wizard holding the reins.

"Let him fly, Remus. I've been waiting to see this reunion for a long time," said a blonde woman partially hidden, sitting beside him. On his other side, a pink haired witch hollered out, "Wotcher, Cousin!"

While all this was going on, a dark sleek hound bounded past the carriage, intent on reaching Hermione. The big dog reared up on its hind legs and began to lick her face, stopping from time to time to bark joyfully, all the while wagging its shaggy tail. The young witch knew exactly who it was.

"Ew, Sirius!" she laughed. "You're getting me all wet!"

The dog suddenly transformed into Harry's godfather, his arms hugging the petite witch. "I had to give my godson's best friend a proper doggy welcome, didn't I?" he chuckled joyfully. "I'm so happy to see you, kitten."

They soon joined the others. Draco's arms were around Firecat's neck, and he was whispering affectionately to it while the horse lovingly bumped his master's nose with his own. But a soft voice broke up the reunion. "Save a hug for me, little dragon."

Draco looked up, shocked to see his mother sitting beside Remus Lupin and his wife, Tonks. He'd been so intent on his former pet, he hadn't paid attention to the occupants in the carriage. " _Mother_?"

Narcissa was just as changed as her son. Gone was the haughty shell she'd constructed as a shield. The thoughtful, winsome girl she'd been created to be remained. Draco's mouth fell open in shock. "Why are you…..what _happened?"_

She gave a little shrug and sighed. "Tom Riddle didn't like it when he found out I had lied about Harry Potter being dead."

She held out her hand to her son and he took it, pulling her off the cart and into his arms.

"Mum," he said as he buried his face in her hair. They began to sob and laugh at the same time, precious sounds filling the air that made those around them smile and their eyes shimmer.

Only after Narcissa drew away to wipe her face with her delicate lace hanky did Sirius say, "Come now Cissy, let your poor boy breathe and welcome your daughter here," he urged, his teasing tone flowing over Hermione and Draco like warm honey.

"Oh, darling…..forgive me." Narcissa moved over to where Hermione was standing and embraced her cordially. Giving her a kiss on both cheeks, she said with evident approval in her voice, "Well done, Draco."

"Told you we were right, Severus."

Draco and Hermione jumped at the sound of that familiar voice. Right before them materialized their old Headmaster and the Professor looking as he had before they'd passed under the arch.

"Just couldn't ride in the carriage with us, eh? Always having to sweep in and make a dramatic entrance," Sirius joked.

Severus drawled, "Would you rather we jump on people and lick their faces?"

"You both have a flair for dramatics. Let's leave it at that," Remus, always the peace-maker, said good-naturedly.

Albus grinned, amused. His face looked weathered and old, but his eyes twinkled like a child's.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione and Draco asked at the same time.

He nodded, pleased. "In the flesh.…...er, spirit, I should say."

Draco stiffened. The memory of the headmaster's death and his part in it suddenly washed over him. Shame fell like a dark shadow over his features.

"Oh no, Son," Albus said softly, "You're free now. Let it go. It has been buried in the deepest of the seas, never to return. And a good thing, too, or _I_ could not live here."

"Sir?" Hermione cocked her head.

"Guilt, Miss Granger. Or should I say Lady Malfoy?" He stared over his glasses at her and winked. Hermione blushed madly.

"As I was saying, if anyone had a reason to feel guilty, it would be me. Because I _was_. However, that is no longer the case. _Thankfully_."

Draco frowned. "I…..I don't understand."

Dumbledore's eyes locked with Draco's. "Guilt has no place here. Neither do failure, pride, pain…..defeat. Death. Within these borders, only three things remain…..faith, hope and love."

He spread his arms out and said, "Relax, children. The struggle is over. You're home now."

"Home?" Draco thought, _Could all this really be meant for me?_

The old wizard was already chuckling. "I know what's in your mind right now. But think, Draco. Ask yourself why everything looks so familiar. Why did you love Wiltshire so much?" Albus leaned forward. "The answer is ridiculously simple. It was because it reminded you of your real home. _Here_ , my lad."

Then the old headmaster peered down the road and squinted at the village in the distance. "And if you don't believe me, you can ask him when he gets here."

"Who?"

"You'll see. Someone you always admired is coming to greet you."

Draco eyes followed Dumbledore's and was amazed he could easily see the familiar-looking stores from that distance. "How can I…"

"Clarity of vision is easy when there are no shadows to get in the way," was the Headmaster's answer.

Draco spotted a candy store full of sweets that looked astonishingly like Honeydukes. Near it, a tavern door swung open and the pleasing aroma of butterbeer wafted out, accompanied by the mouth-watering fragrance of pumpkin pasties. Draco didn't bother to ask himself how he could smell it from there. Down the cobblestone street, he recognized a dress shop that looked just like one from the village he'd lived near as a child. Further down, another store caught his eye. This one had bright lights and moving figures.

"Is that….is that Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?"

"Where?" asked Hermione.

Draco pointed to it. Just as she was about to say something, the door of the shop opened, and Fred Weasley stepped outside, resplendent in a lime green suit with a purple bowler hat atop his ginger hair.

"Hey! Hermione! Draco!" he yelled. "Wanna be my test subjects?" The next instant he was standing beside them.

"How on earth did you do that?" Draco asked. What Fred did wasn't apparition; he was suddenly just _there._

Fred winked. "Ah, but Lord Malfoy…... we're not exactly _on earth_ anymore, are we? That's what's so fun about eternity….you get the whole package all at once. Since we're no longer in time, there's no measurement of moments passing or distance or space or….any of those dreary things we had to put up with before. Everything is just…..boom! And it happens! Handy, eh?"

Draco blinked, his mouth comically hanging open like a fish. Beside him, Hermione looked much the same.

Ignoring it, Fred said, "So….what I was saying before…..wanna help me try out some new products? I thought I'd give Sirius a rest, although he did look quite fetching as a fluffy cloud. Even if he did rain on me."

Sirius snorted. "That wasn't rain, darlin'."

Everyone laughed at that.

"Wait, wait…...there's a joke shop? _Here_?" Hermione could not get her mind around that concept.

"Of course. Did you think my prodigious talent would be erased? I'm still me," said Fred.

"Our gifts and abilities…..they help facilitate who we're meant to be. And here, we'll continue to learn and grow," explained Remus, his love for teaching still apparent.

"Okay…..but a joke shop? In _heaven_?"

"Don't be a party pooper, 'Mione," teased Fred. "You'll find there's more laughter here than ever there was in dreamworld."

"Dreamworld…." Draco murmured. "Is that what you're calling our past life?"

"Sure….why not? It was, you know." Fred's next words were unexpectedly gentle to the former Slytherin. "All that we saw or were was but a dream within a dream."

Fred watched Draco's expressions as he pieced it all together.

Funny how in the past life he'd had dreams, not comprehending the real dream had been while he'd been awake.

Draco stared into Fred's eyes. The color of cinnamon, they were lighter than Hermione's. He saw secrets dancing in those sparkling depths.

Fred smiled. "It's just like the children's song, mate. Remember? Row, row, row your boat….."

"Gently down the stream." the words were out of Draco's mouth before he knew it.

The twin nodded, pleased. "Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily…."

Draco finished the rhyme. "Life is but a….dream."

"And when the dream is over….?" Fred encouraged.

Draco looked at the redhead. He now understood. "We wake up."

His breath caught. _Is it really that simple?_

Hermione wove her arm around Draco's waist while resting her head on his shoulder. "So….our real life has just begun, hasn't it, love?"

Just as soon as the words left her mouth, a glorious light, brighter than the star that warms the earth, rose high in the sky.

Their new day had come.

* * *

000

Fred's words about dreams were paraphrased from Edgar Allan Poe's quote: "All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."


End file.
